What I Miss About Childhood | Tarreyn Land: What I Miss About Childhood

Thursday, July 26, 2012

What I Miss About Childhood

Is it just me, or is being a grownup really f**king hard sometimes??
Lately, as I'm confronted more and more with the obstacles of adulthood, I've been thinking a lot about some of the things I miss about being a kid.
Let me start by saying - A lot of the time, I really love being a grownup. 
I love having my own place, staying up drinking wine until 4 am, eating cake for breakfast. It's all fabulous.
However - With great power comes great responsibility...
It seems like every other day brings the dilemma of a new life decision.
Do I buy a new car? Should I sign a longer or shorter lease? Do I want to stay in one spot or travel around the world? Do I take that job? That apartment? That date? That couch? Am I living up to my full potential? Could I be doing more? Should I be doing more? What am I even doing with my life? - Basic decisions turn into existential crisis at every turn.
Now I'm fully aware that these are all super up-town problems, and that if these are my big dilemmas I'm pretty lucky... However - there were a lot of perks to being a little kid:
  • Living in the present: As an adult, I am constantly worried about the future, and what I'm doing with my life - how every decision will affect my impending prospects. But as a kid, the farthest ahead I was thinking was what should be on my Christmas list and what kind of costume theme I should have for my birthday party. (Both still big annual conundrums, mind you...)
  • Living in Caloric Ignorance: The other day I asked my 8 year old cousin what kind of ice cream he had eaten that day and he told me TWO milkshakes and an ice cream cone! I miss the days when eating that way was not only acceptable, but we had zero repercussions in mind of how many calories were involved, and no concept of how self-loathing we might feel later.
  • The Lack of Responsibility: As a kid you've got it made -Show up at school, string some macaroni necklaces, learn sign language for songs about peace, lunch, nap, home! Then at home it was a sinch too! No bills, no big decisions, barely any chores. it. was. rad.
  • Sartorial Courage: Some of the outfits I put together as a kid were supppeerr weird. But I loved them and rocked them anyway. Mismatching socks, giant piles of costume jewelry, red tights under short overalls with pink Tweety Bird high-tops (seriously. I freakin loved those shoes.) You name it. Now, I still wear some pretty weird things, but never without some positive self-talk in the mirror and deep breaths before leaving the house. 
  • Being Rewarded for Small Reasons: Lost a tooth? Cash. Skimmed your knee? Popsicle. Colored in the lines? Happy Meal. Awesome. Then you grow up: Lost a tooth? Emergency room. Skimmed your knee? Stop crying, you're 24. Colored in the lines? Why are you drawing in a coloring book?...
  • MAKING FRIENDS!: When you're a kid, making friends is a piece of cake! "You like purple?I like purple! Let's be friends forever!" As an adult, I'm finding it waayy harder! After college and outside of work - how the F do people make friends?! You're not exposed to new people every fall or new semester, you don't have play-dates or girl scouts, or summer camp! And once you're in your 20's asking if you can be someone's friend just kind of comes off as creepy...
I know in general I love being a grown-up, but some days I just need to play hookie, build a fort, and fill it with puffy Cheetos. Except now I can bring a bottle of wine in with me...

2 comments:

  1. I had Tazmanian devil high tops! No wonder we're friends...

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